Churn.



W. L. PRATT. OHURN. APPLICATION rum) MAY 9, 1908.

920,645, Patented May 4, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. L. PRATT.

GHURN.

APPLICATION FILED In 9, 190B.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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GHURN. I APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1908.

FEICE.

WILLIS LEE PRATT, OF PIMENTO, INDIANA.

CHURN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed May 9, 1908. Serial No. 431,911.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, WILLIs LEE PRATT, a l citizen of the United States, residing at Pimento, in the county of Vigo, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Churns and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as i will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l This invention relates to churns. I It is the primary object of the present inl vention to provide a churn which may be quickly and readily adapted to churn a large or a small quantity of cream, the operation of the churn being as effectual under one condition as under the other. In carrying out my invention, I support the dasher shaft of the churn at the desired elevation by means of a spring support which may be quickly and readily disengaged from the said shaft to permit of its being raised or lowered to a new a d ustment.

Another novel feature of the invention lies in the fact that no support is provided for the lower end of the dasher shaft. It is at present customary to provide a step bearing upon the bottom of the churn body for the support of the lower end of the dasher shaft but such a construction is undesirable inasmuch as the metal removed from the bearing and the shaft by frictional contact mingles with the butter and renders it black in places thereby causing waste and loss of time removing the soiled portions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the churn embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view therethrough, the dasher shaft being shown raised for the churning of a large quantity of cream, Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the dasher shaft lowered for the churning of a small quantity of cream, and, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the top of the churn showing the means for holding the dasher shaft at various elevations. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the dasher shaft removed from the churn.

As shown in the drawings, the churn embodying my invention comprises a body which is made up of sides 10, a bottom 11, and a top 12 which is hinged to the upper edge of one of the sides and constitutes the closure for the body. The body is supported upon legs 14.

Secured upon the top 12 of the churn embodying my invention is a preferably cruciform bearing comprising four arms 15 each extending at right angles with respect to the two adjacent ones, the arms being bent downwardly at their ends and secured by means of screws to the said top 12. Journaled for rotation in the said bearing is a vertical dashershaft 16 on the lower end of which is a dasher in the form of a square body 17 and provided with stirrers 18, projecting through it from side to side. The

]shaft 16 is cylindrical and journaled as stated in the bearing and in an opening formed in the top of the body of the churn. Fixed upon the said shaft adjacent the upper end thereof is a pinion 19 and meshing with this pinion is a gear 20 fixed upon a shaft 21 which is journaled in one arm of the bearing and in a step bearing upon the top of the churn body. A crank handle 22 is fixed upon the upper end of the shaft 21 and it will be understood that upon rotation of the said crank handle, the said dasher shaft will be rotated.

The dasher shaft is formed with two grooves which extend peripherally thereof, one being indicated by the numeral 23 and the other by the numeral 24. Fixed upon the top of the churn body by means of one of the screws which secures the bearing in place is an l...shaped spring 25 which extends upwardly from its secured end and thence in the direction of the dasher shaft. The free arm of the spring extends beyond the dasher shaft and is then bent sharply upon itself to form a ii-shaped space between the main portion of the arm and its terminal 26 to engage with the shaft which extends through said space and is supported by the two parts of said arm engaging one or the other of the peripheral grooves 23 or 2 1. If the spring be pressedupon in the direction of said shaft, the latter will be released and may be moved up or down as the case may be to adapt the churn for operating on a small or a large quantity of cream, it being also understood that the L-shaped spring serves to support the shaft in its adjusted position.

that is claimed is:

1. A churn comprising a body having a top closure, a bearing fastened thereon, a dasher shaft adapted to move longitudinally and rotatable in openings in said closure and bearing respectively and having a plurality of circumferential grooves therein, and a spring support for said shaft secured at one end on the closure and provided at its other end with a Vshaped notch to engage a groove in the shaft and support the same in adjusted po- 5 sition.

2. A churn comprising a body having a top closure, a bearing fastened thereon, a dasher shaft adapted to move longitudinally and rotatable in openings in said closure and hear- 1O ing respectively, and having a plurality of circumferential grooves therein and an L shaped spring support secured at one end on the closure, and having its other end extending across the upper surface of the bearing,

15 said end being provided with a \ishaped notch to engage with one of the circumferential grooves in said shaft and support the l dasher in adjusted position, said spring being i so arranged that When pushed toward the shaft, said V-shaped notch Will be Withdrawn from the groove in the shaft and when retracted, engage the same or another of said grooves.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

EVILLIS LEE PRATT.

FE' itDOSSeS Hnnscnnr SPAnKs, W. G. PIETY. 

